Siman 63

(4.) Pertaining to the beginning of the story of the Seven Beggars, which is printed in the conversations (Sichos HaRan §149) — see there. After the words "I will tell you how once upon a time people were rejoicing" — I heard that he said then in these words: "What do you know about how to be joyful from out of marah shechorah (melancholy — lit. 'black bile')? I will tell you how once upon a time people were rejoicing" etc. It was heard explicitly from his holy mouth that the stories he told are wondrous and awesome novelties of the very highest order, and they are fitting to be expounded publicly — to stand in the synagogue and tell a story from these stories that he told, for they are extremely high and awesome novelties. (The transcriber says: I heard from the mouth of Rav Naftoli of blessed memory that after Rabbainu o.b.m. told the story of the Seven Beggars, he praised its virtue exceedingly and said that one may travel to Brod and enter the synagogue and tell the attendant to gather the congregation for a sermon, and to strike on the table [as is the custom before a sermon to quiet the congregation], and to tell them this story.)